Improved automatic bonjgr-feedino apparatus



T. L0VBL1DGE an J. GRINDROD. l AUTOMATIC BOILBR FEBDING APPARATUS. v

IIa-93,826. Patented Aug. 17, 1869.

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dln-ital gisten parte anni.

THOMAS LOVELIDGE ANDYJOHNPGRINDROD, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 93,826, dated August 1 7 1869.

IMPRO'VED AUTOMATIC BOII-,ER-FEEDING APPARATUS.

The Schudule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

. l To 'all whonmt may concern:

Be it known that-we, THOMAS LovnLiDGn and J oHN .Gunvnnon of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have -invented an Automatic Boiler-Feeding Apparatus;

and` we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention consists of an apparatus, scribed hereafter, for feeding steam-generators with water, which is simple in construction and arrangement, entirely automat-ic in its action, and so varranged that it will maintain the water at any desired level in the boiler, so long' asthe apparatus -is itself supplied.

In-order to enable others skilled in the art to make ,and apply o ur invention, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawing, which forms apart of this specification. and in which- Figure-1 is a. sectional perspective `view of our iinproved automatic boiler-feeding apparatus.

Figure-3, a sectional plan view ou, the line 1-2, iig. 1.

Figure 4, anenlarged section'atview of one of the valves.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views. v

A.k represents an upright cylindrical vessel or'reservoir, supported, upon legs a, at any convenient point adjacent to, but at a higher level than the steam-boiler which is to. be fed with water.

At the top of this reservoir is a hemispherical projection,b, with which communicates a short tube, provided with a suitable cock,'l1", and at the bottoms of the reservoir isa similar projection, c, to which is connected a pipe, B, ,communicating with the steam-boiler at any convenient point belowthe low-water line, and provided, close to the reservoir, with a check-' valve,.c, of ordinary construction, which opens in the direction of the arrow, iig. 1.

C i s a steam-pipe, one end of which communicates with the stearmbciler, at the proper water-line, lwhile its opposite end'passes through one side of the reservoir A, and terminates, within the same, in a valvecasing, D, the latter havingan outlet-pipe, f, 'which projects upward toward the top of the reservoir.

The` pipe I, by which water under a moderate pressure is supplied to the reservoir, communicates .with the latter near the lower end of the same, and the said pipe is furnished, with a branch, F', which also enters the reservoir, and whichterminates, within the same, in ai'alvebasing, D', precisely similar to the casing D, and arranged at a point directly beneath the same, the said casing being alsoprovided with au outlet-pipe, j', which projects toward the bottom of the reservoir.

The supply-pipe F is furnished, ata point betweenIv its branch l11"' and the reservoir, with a check-valve, g,

opening in'. the direction of the arrow, and the said pipev should also be provided, at a point beyond the branch F', with a valve, by which the supply of water can either be cut oft' from the yreservoir or regulated,

as required.

v To a lever, h., which is hung to abracket, It', se

cured to the inside of the reservoir, is connected a rod, t', upon which is arranged, to slide freely, a iioat, G,

the rodbeing guided and maintained in a proper ver- I tical position, by means .of va stop, j, at its lower end, which enters the passage leading to the pipe B, but is' so formed as not to obstruct the same. (See iig. 2.)

To the oppostearin of the lever is hung a rod, fk, which is connected to the valve-rod H, the latter entering both of the cnsiugs D and D2, and operating the valves within the same, which are arranged nfthe following manner: Figure 2, a sectional view of partof the apparatus.

Each casing is furnished with two valves ll', (see` v tig. 4,) theformer of whiohis thevalve proper, and is adapted to a seat in thepassage to the outlet-pipe, while the main object of the lattervalve,-Z, is to replace the packing, which would otherwise be required for the valverod,- and which would add greatly to the friction of the parts, so that' a much larger float would be required to insure the perfect working of the apparatus.

It will be seen, on referring to figs. 1 and 2, that the valves inv the casings D and D are soarranged, in res pect to each other, 'that wlien one set is open, the other .must be' closed.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Letit be supposed that the water in the steam-boiler is below-its properlevel, that thel several parts of the feeding-apparatus arein .the position shown'in g. 2, and that the vregulating-cockor valve, on the pipe F, has been opened, so 'as to permiuwater to flow through the same to the reservoir A. i l

The cock b', at the top' of the erven, is first opened to permit the air to escape, when the reservoir will be immediately filled with water,which will enter it thronghthe pipe'h and its barrel F', the cock b being then immediately closed.

' Asthe reservoir is thus illed with water, the oat Grises, sliding on the rod t', from the position in fig. 2 to that shown'in iig. 1, ,or .until it strikes and turns the lever h. This turning of the lever will so operate the valves D and D', as to open communication between the interior ofthe reservoir and the steam-pipe C, and, at the Same' time, to cut oli' the supply of water from the branch F2',

As soon as steam is thus `admittedto the reser voir, and the pressure within the same becomes equal to that in the boiler, the check-valve c' will he opened, and the water will flow, by its own gravity, through the pipe B into the boiler, theI fioat sliding down its rod, as the water leaves the reservoir, until it strikes the stop j.

Thisstriking ofthe stop j will so act on the lever and the valves operated by the same, as to move the latter to their original position, (fig. 2,) or, in other words, the steam will be shut ofi', and wmmunication with the'feeding-braneh F' opened.

At first, the pressure of steam within the reservoir will be vsufiicieut to force bac-k the water, but this steam becoming quickly condensed, a vacuum, or partial vacuum, will be formed, and the reservoir will be filled as before, to be again emptied when the lever is turned bythe fioat G, and fresh steam admitted to the reservoir, the operation of' filling and emptying the resenoir being continued automatically in the saine manner until the boiler has been fill'ed to the proper level.

The steam-pipe C, as before mentioned, communicates with the boiler at the proper water-line, so that as soon as the water rises to'this point, steam can no longer pass through the pipe C, to displace the water contained iu tle reservoir, the latter consequently re maining filled until the boiler again needsreplenishing.

It will thus be seen that the above apparatus will not only fill au empty boiler by operating automatically, but will maintain the water at exactly the proper' level, so long as the supply is kept up through the pipe F.

Agreat advantage possessed by our' invention over other apparatus of' this class, is, that that the valves and other ap liances are contained entirely within and are protec by the reservoir, and, consequently, are not liable to get out of order, while the Valves, owing to their peculiar construction,and to the fact that the pressure is nearly equal 'on' all sides of the same, work regularly and without leaking, and do not require any of the usual packing, so that a most delicate operation of the apparatus is insured.

We claim as our invention; and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The float G, arrangedin the vessel A, interposed between a steam-boiler and water-reservoir, and communicating with the steam and waterspaces of the boiler, substantially as described.

2.\The combination, substantial] y as herein described, ofthe float-rod 1', lever h, connecting-mdk, and valve H.

3. The valve-casings D and D', eachv having seats adapted for the reception of two .valves l and Z', arranged substantially in the manner described.

4. The valves D D', arranged within the reservoir A, and operated from a single rod, H, substantiallyas specified.

5. The arrangement, in respect to the reservoir A, and its valves D and D', of the pipes B, C, and 1", and the branch F', substantially as set forth.

In testimon y whereowe have signedour names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS LOYELIDGE. JOHN GRINDROD.

Witnesses:

'ROBERT THoMAs, WM. A. STEEL., 

